Earlex All-in-One HVLP Sprayer - Getting Started

This HVLP sprayer is an excellent choice for the homeowner, do-it-yourselfer, or woodworker not needing the capabilities of a professional-grade system. That said, it’s still capable of producing an excellent finish. We’ll walk you through all the steps, so you have the best chance of success.

Preparing Your Work Area

It is important to clean your shop before you begin any spraying – you want as dust-free an environment as possible. Don’t forget to wear breathing protection.

You can also use a portable shelter. The shelters are a great way to keep overspray and drifting airborne droplets contained when finishing a project, indoors or out (Photo 1).

Photo 1 – Using a spray shelter indoors to contain overspray and keep dust off the project.

Which tip and air cap should I use?

You can change the spray tip set and choose a fine or wide air cap nozzle to control the flow of material. Then dial in the spray pattern by adjusting the flow control knob on the unit either + or – to your desired width.

This table provides a general guideline for the selection of the tip and nozzle based on the material you want to use.

How much should I thin my finish?

Many materials need to be properly diluted before spraying. Thinning is very important to achieve the desired result. Be sure to refer to the finish manufacturer’s technical data sheet for its recommendation. Water-based stains may need little if any dilution, while latex paints can require significant thinning for proper atomization – as much as 15 percent.

Before committing to your project, test on a piece of scrap or cardboard, and adjust the viscosity accordingly. This also gives you an opportunity to practice your technique.

In the next section, we’ll run through the sprayer’s controls and show how to achieve different spray patterns and adjust the coverage area.